Rack system for dishwashers



Dec. 20, 1966 I D'. E. PAY-roN ETAL 3 3 4 Y RACK SYSTEM FOR ISISHWASHERS I FIG.

INVENTORS ow E, 'PAYTON @vUEsLEY s. wcrnsou BY 6 THE'lR ORQEQ D. E. PAYTON ETAL 3,292,984

RACK SYSTEM FOR. DISHWASHERS Dec. 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q Filed May 24, 1965 INVENTORS PAVTON WE$LEY s. PATTI50 DON T HE Z CFTO'RPJEY United States Patent 3,292,984 RACK SYSTEM FOR DISHWASHERS Don E. Payton and Wesley S. Pattison, Louisville, Ky., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed May 24, 1965, Ser. No. 458,145 6 Claims. (Cl. 312-229) mally provided therein for access to the lower rack. Various solutions have been proposed for each of these problems; however, it has been discovered that a partial solution of one of the problems usually compounds the other problem. That is, any attempt to increase the capacity of the upper rack in a top-opening dishwasher usually results in less accessibility to the lower rack and, similarly, any attempt to increase accessibility to the lower rack usually results in a loss of capacity of the upper rack. The most successful attempt heretofore to overcome both problems simultaneously is that described and claimed by L. W. Guth in US. Patent 3,087,769, issued April 30, 1963 and assigned to the General Electric Company, assignee of the present invention. The rack system described by L. W. Guth provides only a partial solution to the above-discussed problem since there still is some difiiculty encountered in placing dishes in the lower rack due to the fact that the rear section of the upper rack remains disposed immediately above the lower rack. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved rack system which facilitates the loading and removal of dishes supported by the lower rack in a top-opening dishwasher without excessively sacrificing the capacity of the upper rack.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved rack system for the upper portion of a top-opening dishwasher.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a rack system for a top-opening dishwasher which increases the accessibility of the lower rack without excessively sacrificing capacity of the upper rack.

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of this invention, an automatic dishwasher is provided and comprises a cabinet having four substantially vertical interconnected walls with an open top. A first closure member is pivotally secured to one of the side walls adjacent the top thereof and a second closure member is pivotally secured to, and adjacent the top of, the side wall opposite the side wall to which the first closure member is secured. The cabinet and the two closure members define a wash chamber to receive articles to be washed therein. The arrangement further includes a first rack adapted to support articles to be washed which is pivotally supported for movement between a first position wherein it is disposed Within the upper portion of the wash chamber and a second position wherein it is disposed outside the wash chamber above the first closure member. Also included is a second rack adapted to support articles to be washed which is pivotally supported for movement between a first position wherein it is disposed within the upper portion of the wash chamber and a second position wherein it is disposed outside the wash chamber above the second closure member. Means are associated with each of the closure members to catch and return to the wash chamber drippings from articles supported by the first and second racks 3,292,984 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 when the racks are each in the second position and the closure members are opened.

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention, it is believed the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view, partially cut away to show details, of an automatic dishwasher utilizing the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front view similar to that of FIGURE 1 but showing the closure members of the dishwasher in the open position; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary top view of the dishwasher with certain elements removed to more clearly illustrate the means associated with the closure members to return drippings from articles to the wash chamber.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG- URE 1 thereof, there is illustrated a top-opening portable dishwasher 10. Dishwasher 10 includes an outer cabinet 11 comprising four substantially vertical interconnected walls 12, 13, 14 and 15. Side walls 12, 13, 14 and 15 define the lateral limits of a wash chamber 16 adapted to receive articles to be washed therein. The open top of cabinet 11 serves as an access opening for the admission of articles to, and removal of articles from, wash chamber 16. This access opening is provided with a pair of closure members 17 and 18, closure member 17 being pivotally secured to wall 13 by hinge means 19 while closure member 18 is pivotally secured to wall 15 by hinge means 20. Each of the closure members 17 and 18 pivot through an angle well in excess of 90 from the closed position to the open position. Hinge means 19 and 20 may include suitable counterbalance means to compensate for the weight of the closure members 17 and 18 and the weight of other elements, to be discussed more fully hereinafter, which are carried by the closure members; The lower extremity of wash chamber 16 is defined by a bottom wall 21, the periphery of which is in liquid-tight relationship to the four vertical walls of cabinet 11. Bottom wall 21 has a centrally depressed portion forming a sump 22 in which liquid will collect. Disposed within sump 22 and supported by bottom wall 21 is a pump 23 which is provided with a suitable drive motor (not shown). Mounted for rotation at the top of pump 23 is a reaction-type spray arm 24 and a spray tube 25. Spray tube 25 has a telescoping element 26 which moves upwardly a short distance in response to fluid pressure to provide additional washing action for articles supported in the upper portion of wash chamber 16.

Pump 23 has an inlet adapted to withdraw wash fluid from sump 22 and, during rotation of its drive motor in one direction, propel the fluid upwardly into spray arm 24 and spray tube 25. This wash fluid issues from spray arm 24 and spray tube 25 through orifices provided therein to create a wash action within wash chamber 16. Pump 23 is further adapted to withdraw wash fluid from sump 22 and propel it from dishwasher 10 into the normal household sewer system upon rotation of its drive motor in the opposite direction. An electrical resistance heating element 27 is supported by bottom wall 21 and is provided to facilitate drying of articles within wash chamber 16 upon completion of washing and rinsing operations.

Suitable sequence control means (not shown) are provided to sequentially energize and de-energize the various aforementioned components to cycle the dishwasher 10 through a series of operations constituting an entire automatic dishwashing operation. At the bottom of cabinet 11, casters or rollers 28 may be provided to render dishwasher 10 capable of convenient movement.

. Of course,- means must be provided within wash chamber 16 to support the articles or dishes in a manner whereby the wash action generated by spray arm 24 and spray tube 25 will effectuate cleansing of the articles. This means includes a lower dish-supporting rack 29 having legs 30 which rest upon bottom wall 21 to support rack 29 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1. For the purposes of the present invention, rack 29 may be assumed to be entirely conventional in form and of the type commonly employed in a top-opening dishwasher.

As discussed above, top-opening dishwashers of the type illustrated in FIGURE 1, have faced the two-fold problem of providing suitable accessibility to the lower rack while at the same time maintaining maximum capacity of the upper rack. Prior to the introduction of the arrangement described and claimed in the abovementioned U.S. Patent 3,087,769, the conventional means for access to the lower rack comprised a large central opening in the stationary upper rack through which articles could be passed to place them in, or remove them from, the lower rack. The arrangement set forth in U.S. Patent 3,087,769 made a significant contribution to overcoming the above-described two-fold problem; however, with that arrangement there still existed some inconvenience in inserting and removing articles from the portion of the lower rack which was directly below the stationary section of the upper rack. Some inconvenience also existed in inserting and removing articles from the rear, or stationary, section of the upper rack system. The present invention constitutes a significant improvement over the rack system disclosed and claimed in U.S. Patent 3,087,769.

- Disposed within the upper portion of wash chamber 16 are a pair of upper racks 31 and 32 each adapted to support articles or dishes in a manner whereby the washing action generated by spray arm 24 and spray tube 25 will eflFectuate cleansing of the articles. Rack 31 is associated with closure member 17 in such a manner that, when closure member 17 is in its fully opened position, rack 31 assumes the position illustrated in FIGURE 2. Similarly, rack 32 is associated with closure member 18. As will become evident as the description continues, it would be within the scope of the present invention to make racks 31 and 32 independent of closure members 17 and 18 whereby, after closure members 17 and 18 are opened to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2, racks 31 and 32 may be independently manually pivoted to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2. In the preferred form of the present invention, however, the racks 31 and 32 are linked with closure members 17 and 18 so that they automatically pivot up and out of the wash chamber 16 upon the opening of the closure members.

Referring particularly to the arrangement for pivotally supporting rack 31, a bracket 33 is rigidly secured to wall 13 of. cabinet. 11 and projects into wash chamber 16 a short distance. the end thereof is a link 34 which is also pivotally secured, at its other end, to the lower portion of rack 31. Any suitable means may be employed to pivotally secure link 34 to bracket 33 and rack 31; however, in the preferred form of the present invention link 34 has a 90 bend which passes through an opening in bracket 33 and a clip is secured to link 34 to prevent link 34 from escaping from the opening. The other end of link 34 may also be provided with a 90 bend which passes through a wire loop 35 secured to the bottom of rack 31. Again, suitable means such as a clip may be provided to prevent link 34 from escaping from loop 35.

A second bracket 36 is rigidly secured to the inner surface of closure member 17 and depends downwardly into wash chamber 16. An arm or link 37 is pivotally secured to bracket 36 adjacent its distil end. At its other end, length 37 is pivotally secured [to rack 31. To facilitate the interconnection between link 37 and rack 31, a clip 38 is provided which is rigidly clipped .55 Pivotally secured to bracket 33 adjacent cleansing of the dishes.

onto rack 31 and is provided with an opening. Another link 39 has a bend similar to that described above with regard to link 34 and this 90 bend in link 39 passes through the opening in clip 38. The 90 bend in link 39 also passes through an opening in link 37 in such a manner that both link 37 and link 39 are pivotally secured to clip 38. Of course, suitable means may be 'provided to prevent the 90 bend in link 39 from escaping from the opening in clip 38.

Although the afore-described linkage system will inherently limit the travel of rack 31 into wash chamber 16 as closure member 17 is closed due to the dimensional relationship between link 37 and link 39, it may be desirable to provide a positive stop to overcome deviations created by normal manufacturing tolerances. If so, the

90 bend in link 34, which passes through bracket 33,

may be extended so as to contact, and stop travel of, link 39 as link 39 pivots downwardly into wash chamber 16. This will in turn stop movement of rack 31 and the weight of rack 31 and the articles supported therein will maintain rack 31 in the desired position.

It is to be understood that all of the foregoing components, i.e., bracket 33, link 34,loop 35, bracket 36, link 37, clip 38 and link 39 may be duplicated at the opposite end of rack 31 to provide increased stability of rack 31 even though it may contain a relatively heavy load of articles to be washed within dishwasher 10. In FIGURE 1, link 39 is illustrated as broken off so that its counterpart at the opposite end of basket 31, a link 40, may be seen. Also, in FIGURE 3, a bracket 41 can be seen and it is, of course, the counterpart of bracket 36.

Similar means are provided to pivotally support rack 32 and these means include a bracket 42 rigidly secured to wall 15 of cabinet 11 and extending into wash chamber 16. Pivotally secured to bracket 42 adjacent its distal end, is a link 43 which is also pivotally secured at its other end to rack 32 by means of loop 44. A bracket45 is rigidly secured to the inner surface of closure member 18 and depends down into wash chamber 16. Pivotally secured to bracket 45 adjacent its distal end is a link 46 which is in turn associated with a link 47 and clip 48 in a manner similar to that discussed above with regard to links 37 and 39 and clip 38.

With the foregoing structural relationships, as closure members 17 and 18 are pivoted, one by one, to the positions illustrated in FIGURE 2, racks 31 and 32 will assume the positions illustrated in FIGURE 2. It can be seen from FIGURE 2 that with the arrangement of the present invention, access to the lower rack 25 is greatly enhanced without significant sacrifice of capacity of the upper rack arrangement. In other words, once closure members 17 and 18 are opened, upper racks 31 and 32 are substantially withdrawn from the space through which the operator of the dishwasher must reach to insert articles into the lower rack 29. Racks 31 and 32, with the exact structure of the preferred embodiment, do project slightly over the open top of cabinet 11; however, this is only a slight projection and it occurs only at the sides of the dishwasher and leaves the area adjacent the front and rear I walls, i.e., Walls 12 and 14 substantially clear so that easy access is provided to the lower rack.

In an automatic dishwasher of the type with which the present invention is useful, the articles or dishes being washed must be supported within the wash chamber so oriented that the wash action generated by such elements as spray arm 24 and spray tube 25 will effectuate For example, plates and bowls are usually supported within the wash chamber on edge so that the generally vertically travelling wash fluid will contact both surfaces of the plates or bowls to remove food soil therefrom. If the plates or bowls were oriented in the wash chamber as they are normally oriented for use on a dining table, they would present an enlarged horizontal top surface which would collect food soil during operation of the dishwasher and which would not be susceptible to direct impingement by the wash fluid sprayed by spray arm 24, and spray tube 25. Similarly, cups and glasses are normally oriented within the wash chamber in an inverted position so that they will not collect wash fluid during operation of the dishwasher. In view of the foregoing, problems are often encountered when a cup or glass, for example, is carried from the table with a small residue of liquid therein and is inverted immediately above the dish-supporting rack as it is inserted into the rack. Even when the cup or glass contains a very small amount of residue liquid, this liquid will tend to drip from the cup or glass after the cup or glass has remained inverted for a few moments. Since it may take several minutes to load all of the dishes from a meal into the dishwasher, those cups or glasses inserted into the rack at the beginning of the loading operation will have the residue liquid dripping therefrom before the dishwasher can be completely loaded and the closure member is closed. Additionally, the most desirable dishwasher is one which will allow the operator thereof to carry a glass half filled with liquid directly to the dishwasher and invert the glass, with the liquid still therein, and directly place it into the supporting rack. This obviates an additional trip to the kitchen sink to empty the glass. Accordingly, the present invention also includes means to accommodate the aforementioned drippings from articles being inserted into the upper racks 31 and 32 even though the racks are positioned outwardly beyond the side Walls 13 and 15 of the dishwasher cabinet.

Means are associated with each of the closure members 17 and 18 to catch and return to the wash chamber 16 drippings from the articles supported by racks 31 and 32 when the racks are in the position illustrated in FIG- URE 2. Referring particularly to the means associated with closure member 17, the aforementioned means includes a narrow, elongated platform 49 pivotally secured to closure member 17 by means of a hinge element 50. Because of the hinge element 50, platform 49 is free to rotate relative to closure member 17 between the positions illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. Because the hinge element 50 may be of the conventional type including two looped elements interconnected by a pin, a flexible shield 51 extends over hinge element 50 and down between hinge element 50 and closure member 17 to prevent seepage of fluid down through the hinge element 50. It is to be understood, of course, that hinge element 50 and the portion of shield 51 disposed between the hinge element and the closure member are secured to closure member 17 by such suitable means as a plurality of screw fasteners spaced along the length of binge element 50. Platform 49 has a distal end which extends over the upper extremity of side wall 13 so that any fluid which drips down onto platform 49 will be returned to wash chamber 16. It should be noted that platform 49 is sloped slightly downwardly toward wash chamber 16.

Closure member 17 has a centrally recessed inner surface 52 which, when the closure member 17 is in its fully open position, actually forms a fluid collecting sump which will collect and retain a reasonable amount of fluid and, as closure member 17 is subsequently closed, will conduct the fluid into wash chamber 16 across platform 7 Referring now to closure member 18, a platform 53, hinge element 54 and a flexible shield 55 are provided to serve a function similar to their counterparts discussed above. Moreover, closure member 18 has a recessed inner surface 56 similar to surface 52 of closure member 17.

Suitable sealing means are provided to render closure members 17 and 18 substantially liquid-tight in their relationship to cabinet 11 and to each other. A gasket 57 extends completely around the top periphery of cabinet 11 to effectuate a seal between cabinet 11 and each of the closure members 17 and 18. Also, resilient elements 58 and 59 are secured to closure members 17 and 18 re- 6, spectively to provide a seal along the line where closure members 17 and 18 join upon their closing.

If desired, racks 31 and 32 may be arranged to pivot out of wash chamber 16 independently of closure members 17 and 18 by omitting brackets 36 and 45 and links 37 and 46. If this were done, it would be desirable, though not necessary, to provide a handle at the top of each rack 31 and 32 so that the racks may be conveniently grasped for manual pivoting into, or out of, wash chamber 16. In such an arrangement, movement of racks out of the Wash chamber would be limited by contact between links 39 and 47 and the upper extremity of cabinet 11. Due to the overcenter relationship, the racks would be retained in this position until manually returned to wash chamber 16. Movement into wash chamber 16 would be limited by contact between links 39 and 47 and the bent portion of links 34 and 43, respectively, which extends through and beyond brackets 33 and 42. Again, due to the overcenter relationship, gravity would retain the racks in this position.

Thus it can be seen that the above-described arrangement provides an improved rack system which facilitates the loading and removal of dishes in the lower rack of a top-opening dishwasher without significant sacrifice of capacity of the upper rack. Moreover, the present invention suitably overcomes the problem of dripping of fluid from articles supported in the improved rack system even though the rack system includes rack which are substantially removed from the wash chamber.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the invention are not limited to the particular details of construction of the example illustrated, and it is contemplated that various other modifications or applications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that the appended claims shall cover such modifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An automatic dishwasher comprising:

(a) a cabinet having four substantially vertical interconnected walls and an open top,

(b) a first closure member pivotally secured to one of said side walls adjacent the top thereof,

(c) a second closure member pivotally secured to, and adjacent the top of, the side wall opposite the side wall to which said first closure member is secured,

((1) said cabinet and said closure members defining a wash chamber to receive articles to be washed therein,

(e) a first rack adapted to support articles to be washed and pivotally supported for movement between a first position wherein it is disposed within the upper portion of said Wash chamber and a second position wherein it is disposed outside said wash chamber above said first closure member,

(f) a second rack adapted to support articles to be washed and pivotally supported for movement between a first position wherein it is disposed within the upper portion of said wash chamber and a second position wherein it is disposed outside said wash chamber above said second closure member, and

(g) means associated with each of said first and second closure members to catch and return to said wash chamber drippings from articles supported by said first and second racks when said racks are each in said second position and said closure members are opened,

(h) said means to return drippings to said wash chamber comprising two elongated platforms, each piv-' otally secured to separate ones of said closure members and each extending from its associated closure member to a point above the open top of said wash chamber.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein each of said closure members has a centrally recessed inner surface which forms a fluid collecting sump when its closure member is in its fully opened position.

3. An automatic dishwasher comprising:

(a) first, second, third and fourth generally vertical side walls interconnected to form a cabinet having an open top,

(b) first and second closure members adapted to form the top wall of said cabinet when closed,

() said first closure member being pivotally secured to said first side wall,

((1) said second closure member being pivotally secured to said third side wall,

(e) said cabinet and said closure members defining a wash chamber adapted to receive articles to be washed therein,

(f) a lower rack positioned within the lower portion of said wash chamber and adapted to support articles to be washed,

(g) a first upper rack adapted to support articles to be washed and pivotally supported for movement between a first position wherein it is disposed Within the upper portion of said wash chamber and a second position wherein it is disposed outside said wash chamber above the upper extremity of said first side wall,

(h) a second upper rack adapted to support articles to be washed and pivotally supported for movement between a first position wherein it is disposed within the upper portion of said wash chamber and a second position wherein it is disposed outside said wash chamber above the upper extremity of said third side wall, and

' (i) means associated with each of said first and second closure members to catch and return to said wash chamber drippings from articles supported by said first and second upper racks when said first and second upper racks are each in said second position,

(j) said means to return drippings to said wash chamber comprising two elongated platforms, each pivotally secured to separate ones of said closure members and each extending from its associated closure member to a point above the open top of said wash chamber.

4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein each of said closure members has a centrally recessed inner surface which forms a fluid collecting sump when its closure member is in its fully opened position.

5. An automatic dishwasher comprising:

(a) first, second, third and fourth generally vertical side walls interconnected to form a cabinet having an open top,

(b) first and second closure members adapted to form the top wall of said cabinet when closed,

(0) said first closure member being pivotally secured to said first side wall,

(d) said second closure member being pivotally secured to said third side wall,

(e) said cabinet and said closure members defining a wash chamber adapted to receive articles to be washed therein,

(f) a lower rack positioned within the lower portion of said wash chamber and adapted to support articles to be washed,

(g) a first upper rack adapted to support articles to be washed and pivotally carried by said first closure member whereby said first upper rack is positioned in the upper portion of said wash chamber when said first closure member is closed and is positioned outside said wash chamber above the upper extremity of said first side wall when said first closure member is opened,

(h) a second upper rack adapted to support articles to be washed and pivotally carried by said second closure member whereby said second upper rack is positioned in the upper portion of said wash chamber when said second closure member is closed and is positioned outside said wash chamber and above the upper extremity of said third side wall when said second closure member is opened, and

(i) means associated with each of said first and second closure members to catch and return to said wash chamber drippings from articles supported by said first and second upper racks when said closure members are opened,

(j) said means to return drippings to said wash chamber comprising two elongated platforms, each pivotally secured to separate ones of said closure members and each extending from its associated closure member to a point above the open top of said wash chamber.

6. The invention defined in claim 5 wherein each of said closure members has a centrally recessed inner surface which forms a fluid collecting sump when its closure member is in its fully opened position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,479,236 1/ 1924 Heidbrink 21100 2,036,518 4/ 1936 Czischki et al 312269 3,087,769 4/ 1963 Guth 312269 3,146,045 8/1964 Kauffman 312-229 FOREIGN PATENTS 38,688 1/ 1924 Norway.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

F. DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN AUTOMATIC DISHWASHER COMPRISING: (A) A CABINET HAVING FOUR SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL INTERCONNECTED WALLS AND AN OPEN TOP, (B) A FIRST CLOSURE MEMBER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS ADJACENT THE TOP THEREOF, (C) A SECOND CLOSURE MEMBER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO, AND ADJACENT THE TOP OF, THE SIDE WALL OPPOSITE THE SIDE WALL TO WHICH SAID FIRST CLOSURE MEMBER IS SECURED, (D) SAID CABINET AND SAID CLOSURE MEMBERS DEFINING A WASH CHAMBER TO RECEIVE ARTICLES TO BE WASHED THEREIN, (E) A FIRST RACK ADAPTED TO SUPPORT ARTICLES TO BE WASHED AND PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN IT IS DISPOSED WITHIN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID WASH CHAMBER AND A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN IT IS DISPOSED OUTSIDE SAID WASH CHAMBER ABOVE SAID FIRST CLOSURE MEMBER, (F) A SECOND RACK ADAPTED TO SUPPORT ARTICLES TO BE WASHED AND PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN IT IS DISPOSED WITHIN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID WASH CHAMBER AND A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN IT IS DISPOSED OUTSIDE SAID WASH CHAMBER ABOVE SAID SECOND CLOSURE MEMBER, AND 